STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Incumbent General Raheel Sharif, set to retire in November, had said several months ago that he will not seek a second term

A new army chief will be appointed by the Pakistan government within 10 days to replace incumbent General Raheel Sharif, a senior minister has been quoted as saying by Indian news agency PTI.

"The government has not yet decided [as to who will be the new army chief] but is likely to announce his name in week or ten days' time," Associated Press of Pakistan quoted state minister for Capital Administration Tariq Fazl Chaudhry as saying.

General Raheel, who is poised to retire by November end, set to had announced several months ago that he will not seek a second term unlike his predecessor General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani.

It is prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint the new army chief under the law. The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been under pressure to name General Raheel's successor to end uncertainty amids domestic and external security challenges.

While outgoing army chief can give his advice, Sharif's powers are absolute in this regard.